Dubai: One of the multiple choice questions in the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examinations asks for the name of the youngest female athlete who has represented India. The choices are (i) PT Usha, (ii) Sania Mirza and (iii) Asma Khan.
For those who think of either the sprint queen or India's tennis sensation as the possible answer, think again. Seven-year-old Asma Haimayat Khan has been officially listed as the youngest female athlete to represent the country on the international stage.
At the tender age of six, Aasma became the youngest-ever Indian to don colours for her country when she participated in the Singapore Inline International Skating Championships held in Singapore last summer.
Her interest in the sport was noticed by her father Haimayat, who thought she would have made a good tennis player.
"But we did not have any tennis facilities in our area, so we chose skating instead," Haimayat said.
The choice seemed to be the right one as Asma bagged a bronze medal within one month at a competition held in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra.
That was just enough to sustain the youngster's interest in the sport.
Tough timetable
Now on a brief holiday in Dubai with her father, the seven-year-old spends three hours practising starting at 3.30 am in the parking lot near the Dubai Creek in Deira.
Sanjay Singh, her coach at the Flying Wheels Skating Academy in Chembur, Mumbai gave permitted her to travel only if she would practice regularly.
Her success in Singapore has not only brought in the recognition, but the Maharashtra Government has provided the child with a full team that includes two coaches (a Korean and a Malaysian), a physiotherapist and a dietician.
Since then success has been coming in steadily. She has won almost everything on offer in her age category.
"I will not stop at being the best in Asia. I want to be a world champion and ensure that India gets due recognition," Asma beamed.
